According to the White House Historical Association, the first Christmas tree in the White House was placed in the Yellow Oval Room on second floor in 1889, during the Benjamin Harrison administration. "If I become president, I guarantee we're going to be saying "Merry Christmas" at every store", he told the crowd.

The record for the number of trees in the White House was held for many years by the Eisenhower administration when 26 trees filled every floor of the house.

And that wish for a Merry Christmas, was proclaimed loud and proud, all the way down to this year's official Christmas cards.

Former US President Ulysses S. Grant signed legislation marking Christmas as a national holiday.

The first lady's office says the decorations are meant to honor traditions of the past.

The holiday celebrations get underway Monday with a party for the volunteer decorators and will continue into December with receptions and parties - sometimes two a day - for the next several weeks, including a party Friday for the news media.

US President Donald Trump has lit the national Christmas tree, located behind the White House, in a ceremony followed by a performance of the 1960s-hit pop band, The Beach Boys.

The White House says 25,000 visitors are expected to take special Christmas tours of the building during the holidays.

One Twitter user pointed out that the dimly lit hallway lined with dead branches painted white looks like the flawless spot to tape a "Stranger Things" scene.

A Nativity scene has been on display since 1967, including during the term of President Obama.